Skip to main content

Topics

This section allows you to view all Topics made by this member. Note that you can only see Topics made in areas you currently have access to.

Topics - Martin109

1
I.C.E & Electrical / Headlamp Bulbs for 1990 Driver
This 1990 Driver has supplementary high beam lights inboard of the standard H4 headlights (like a GTI?).

 What is the correct designation for the bulbs that fit in the supplementary high beams?

Some years ago a separate headlight loom was fitted, which took power direct from the battery, and worked quite well but it now seems to have developed a fault such that the nearside high beam (both in the standard headlight and the extra high beam are not working.  Low beam working normally both sides.  It's going to fail its MOT tomorrow due to this, assuming high beams must work to pass MOT.

Will it be relatively easy for my MOT man to remove the dedicated loom and return the lights to normal spec?

Subsequently, I am considering converting to LED bulbs.  Are these produced also for the supplementary high beam lights?  That's why I need to know the correct designation for them in particular.
2
Other Problems / 1.6 Driver Seat Problem
I've recently found that I can't my Driver's driver's seat to secure properly at the position I need it; it's too far back and I just need it one notch further forward.

Has anyone else had this problem and, if so, what it the remedy?
3
Bodywork & Paintwork / It All Comes Down to Detail!
I have had a faded red (pink) Driver ever since I owned it, except for a couple of times when I used some red T-cut apparently to good effect, but it all went faded again very quickly:

Pink version

So I tracked down a detailer in Bristol (Mike Withers of Touch Detailing), and he's done a lovely job:

Transformation underway
Red version
Finished!

Lucky with the weather this week, as all done on his driveway!

I seem to have lost my towing eye cover (not due to the detailing work, though)

(Must try to work out how to show images directly in the post, but img.../img doesn't seem to work)






4
Suspension & Steering / Shock Absorbers
My 1.6 Driver has failed on this:

"Reason(s) for failure
Nearside rear shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))"


Obviously I should change at least the rear two, or even all four, but I wanted to check what the experts think about gas shock absorbers.  Are they just for performance cars, like the GTI, or does it make sense as an upgrade/replacement for a modest little car like the Driver?  I would be looking to tackle this myself.

Bilstein seem to be the market leaders.  Any others to consider, or should I just forget the idea?
5
Engine & Gearbox / Mk 2 1.6 Driver Fuel Problem?
I've been having some intermittent problems with this.  Drove down from Slough to Southampton without problems on Friday, but after stopping on an upward slope in the town to check my route, the car would not start, and I saw that there was no fuel in the see-through fuel filter.  The AA man I called out suspected I was out of fuel, even though I knew I had half a tank.  He towed me to level ground and got the car started by spraying brake cleaner into the side port of the Weber carb while I cranked the engine.  As he still suspected low/no fuel, he accompanied me to a petrol station where I topped up, which confirmed I had had half a tank all along.  Finally, he suspected a weak fuel pump (this is mechanical cam-driven on the Driver), and suggested it be investigated further.

I was next due to drive to Bristol, and this went without any problem at all.  The next day I did a short run for shopping with no problem either.   However, yesterday, having gone locally into Bristol again, initially without problem, suddenly the same issue arose, this time on level ground.  The engine died and wouldn't start.  Again, the fuel filter was empty.  I found a GSF store some way away and purchased a new fuel pump, but also got some brake cleaner, in order to emulate the AA man's trick, which worked!  Got back the 8 miles to home without further problem, until setting out again in the evening, when the problem arose again, but this time the brake cleaner trick didn't work.

I intend to swap out the fuel pump today, but what if the problem is not that?  A couple of years ago, when my trusted garage in Slough were sorting out an intermittent issue which they couldn't decide was fuel or electrically related, they replaced several units such as fuel pump and coil and distributor cap, but also removed the reservoir.  Since then, until now, the car has been running problem free, but now I can't help feeling having the reservoir in there might help to even out fuel delivery if the pump is occasionally struggling to pull sufficient fuel up from the tank (this is the only pump in the driver; there's no pump in the tank).

Is it worth renewing all the 32-year-old fixed fuel lines?  Is it an idea to have the fuel tank drained and cleaned out, if there might be 32 years worth of crud in there?  Any advice gratefully received.
6
Bodywork & Paintwork / Sunroof Not Used for 15 Years!
I'm not absolutely sure if this is the right section to post this - please move if necessary.

I acquired this 1990 Mk2 Driver (1.6) from its first owner in 2008.  They had removed but retained the winding handle and stated that the sunroof leaked, so they had stopped using it.

Since then, I have had no trouble with the sunroof, despite its perished rubber seal, and have left it alone.

However, having a little time and a bit more money to use for this beloved motor, I'm wondering about bringing the sunroof back to life.  Naturally, I'm worried about 'waking a sleeping dog' in this regard.  I have made some enquiries about sunroof repairers, and discover that they are a dying breed.  I was told modern sunroofs are all managed by dealers rather than independent companies now.  Nevertheless, I found one not too far away in Surrey, and spoken to the proprietor.  He seems very busy and couldn't give me a date at the moment, but remains a distinct possibility.

Naturally, I'm also wondering if this is a viable DIY job for someone like me with no skills.  Has anyone worked on such a sunroof (don't know model, but assume it's standard for the model and date of car)?  I am also needing to get the headlining renewed, and it seems clear that the sunroof needs sorting first, and really needs to be functional for the headlining job to be completed.

I also have to take into account the fact that I don't have a garage, so would be a bit stuck if it all went wrong!

Any advice gratefully received.
7
Classic EV - Electric Conversion / Possible Conversion Project??
I've had an idea...

While I'm interested in the idea of EV conversion, I don't want to blindly experiment on my beloved, though still tatty, 1990 Driver (183,000 miles for its 32 years), owned since 2008.

However, I might be interested in acquiring another Golf 2 (ideally as close to my Driver as possible to allow for future possibilities) with defunct engine or engine/gearbox combination.  There are a couple of possibilities for EV conversion:

1) A promising one is the replacement of the Golf engine and gearbox with a Toyota Prius Gen 3 Transaxle.   This would likely take up less space than the original engine/gearbox combination and all its accessories, leaving some space for a modified inverter and a supplementary battery pack (another pack would be needed in the rear).  Modifications/fabrications would need to be made to adapt the  transaxle to the original engine/gearbox mounts, and to provide for the installation of the inverter, auxiliary electronics and front battery pack, and to adapt driveshafts.  As more and more such transmissions (around £200) and inverters (around £150) come onto the secondhand market, this is the kind of project on which current research in the EV-DIY community is really focussing.  There is by now quite a mature body of knowledge in how to adapt inverters to control almost any AC motor (the Toyota transaxles have two motors, MG1 and MG2), and replacement logic boards are readily available.  Intense opensource research has been going on at OpenInverter.

2) A simpler, and older, possibility is the mating of a suitable AC motor to the existing gearbox (either retaining the clutch or not) using a custom adapter plate and coupler.  This is possible for transverse front wheel drive vehicles like the Golf, and for rear wheel drive vehicles such as the BMWs Damien McGuire seems to specialise in.  Here's Damien making such a modification (from about 9 mins in).  This possibility looks like it would allow for more space in the engine bay for the other necessary components.  Here's another example of Damien fitting a similar combination to a rear wheel drive BMW.  Again, a modified inverter is used to control the motor and other functions.

I find these interesting and exciting ideas, but I do have a few issues:  I don't have a garage or suitable workspace for a temporarily undriveable vehicle to sit for a considerable amount of time while an intensive learning process takes place.  I don't have any welding experience at all, and extremely rudimentary car mechanic skills (I'd be more confident with bicycles!).  In short, a project like this would necessitate my teaming up with others.  I don't even know how I would go about sourcing a suitable donor vehicle, or rather project vehicle - perhaps you have a suitable Golf sitting in your spacious garage that you were thinking of breaking for spares or just getting rid of... ;)  I split my week between Slough and Bristol, so would be interested in exploring possibilities in either of those areas.

I'd be very grateful for any ideas and suggestions, and I'm particularly mindful that the very idea of converting a Golf to EV is total sacrilege to many owners!  I don't want to offend any sensibilities here, and I'm grateful to @Eddypeck for creating this section of the forum.
8
Interior, Upholstery & Trim / Fitting L/H Rear Inner Door Scraper (5-door)
This needs replacing and I've sourced a replacement via eBay.

Does anyone have any experience of fitting one of these?  Looking at the remnants of the old one still in situ, I couldn't work out how it was fitted.  Do I need to remove the door card first to get at fixings?  Haynes tells me nothing!